Although modern vending machines and coolers offering beverages and other types of products may seem ubiquitous, many retail establishments throughout the world still rely on ice chests and the like to keep products refrigerated and cooled. Such retail establishments may lack sufficient space for conventional electrical coolers or the sales volume may not justify the cost of such coolers. Likewise, the energy required to run such coolers also may be of concern.
The use of conventional ice chests, however, often results in inconsistent product quality. Specifically, the retailer must fill the chest with ice in order to keep the products therein cold. Likewise, loss or pilferage from the ice chests may be high given the usual lack of a locking mechanism. Moreover, ice chests generally do not drive impulse purchases because the consumer cannot see the products therein. Even when the ice chest is opened, a customer may only see the top several products therein while additional and/or different types of products may be beneath the top layer or within the ice.
There is thus a desire therefore for improved chest cooler. Such a chest cooler preferably would be low cost, with low energy consumption, remain relatively compact, but provide the visual appeal more often associated with glass door coolers and the like.